Dedham Has Renewed a Program to Continue to Provide Rate Stability, Cut Electricity Costs and Include Additional Local Renewable Energy for Residents and Small Businesses

(Dedham, MA) – January 2, 2018 – Dedham will continue its electricity aggregation program under a new three-year supply contract set to start in January 2018 with the electricity supply being provided by Public Power, LLC.
Dedham is part of a buying group of 23 communities stretching from the South Coast to northern Middlesex County that originally launched their Community Electricity Aggregation (CEA) programs in January 2016. By purchasing together, these communities have collectively saved over $8 million for their residents to date and have now renewed their supply contracts for another three years.

In addition to savings, in an environment of continuing rate volatility, these aggregation programs have successfully provided safe harbor for rate payers with one fixed rate while maintaining the freedom to leave the program at any time without penalty. The goals of the program are to provide ratepayers with reduced electric rates, price stability as well as increase the share of local renewable “green” energy in Dedham’s electricity supply.

The new electric rate is fixed at $0.10272 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from January 2018 to January 2021. This rate includes an additional 5% local renewable energy in the form of MA Class I RECs supplied by the Mass Energy Consumer’s Alliance. In addition, ratepayers have the option to increase their local renewable energy percentage to an additional 100 percent for a rate of $0.12622 per kWh. Both of these rates are still below the Basic Service rate for Eversource from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018 which will be $0.13157 per kWh.

The electricity supply will be provided by Public Power, LLC. Public Power won a highly competitive bid conducted by consultant Good Energy in April 2017, beating out two of the nation’s largest power companies. The supplier name will change from Constellation to Public Power and this will be reflected along with the new rate of $0.10272 per kilowatt hour on your January 2018 bill which you will receive in February 2018.

While the aggregation rate compares favorably with the winter rate of Eversource, there is no guarantee of future savings under the aggregation program. The Eversource Basic Service supply rate changes every six months.

If you are currently in the program, no action is required to continue participation.

If you opted out of the original program, you will not be sent an opt-out letter and you will not be enrolled in the new contract. However, you may still join the program by contacting Public Power, LLC at 800- 830-2944, or by email at customercare@ppandu.com.

If you are on the Basic Service with Eversource and have not previously opted out, you will be sent an opt-out letter which details the program.

Residents who wish to opt into the program, including residents who previously opted out or who are currently with a third-party supplier, may still join the program by contacting Public Power, LLC at 800- 830-2944, or by email at customercare@ppandu.com. Please note that residents currently on with a third-party supplier should check for any early termination fees associated with their existing supply contract prior to joining the new program.

If you want to select the 100% “Dedham Premium Local Green” option contact Public Power, LLC at 800- 830-2944, or by email at customercare@ppandu.com.

Municipal officials emphasize that no one affiliated with the program will call, email or knock on residents’ doors asking them to enroll or re-enroll. As before, there is no penalty or termination fee for leaving the program at any time.
Comprising nearly two dozen diverse cities and towns (Acushnet, Attleboro, Carver, Dartmouth, Dedham, Dighton, Douglas, Dracut, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Northbridge, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Westford, and Westport), this Community Electricity Aggregation buying group is the largest in Massachusetts and the third largest of its kind in the country. The Dedham program is enrolled at a rate of over 90% of eligible customers.
Community Electricity Aggregation demonstrates the growing demand for the benefits of regional collaboration among communities on energy issues – a value the International City/County Management Association acknowledged recently in October when it recognized the program with a 2017 Local Government Excellence Award.

“Through Community Electricity Aggregation Dedham has provided residents reduce electricity rates through the bulk purchasing program, as well as increased the amount of renewable energy on the grid effectively and affordably. Dedham was one of two communities in the Commonwealth to pioneer green municipal aggregation, which has now become the model for other communities adopting this program. Through this commitment we are saving residents money as well as reducing Dedham’s greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the amount of renewable energy on the New England Grid” said Jim Kern, Town Manager
As communities across the country have sought to take more control over their energy costs and usage, Community Electricity Aggregation has become increasingly popular. In Massachusetts, CEA is also known as “municipal aggregation” and was made possible by utility deregulation in the late 1990s. CEA is a process whereby a municipality or, in this case, multiple municipalities, aggregate the electrical load of residents and businesses within their jurisdictional boundaries to purchase electricity in bulk in the competitive market.

The CEA program does not affect the delivery of electric service. Any problems with electric service, including outages, should continue to be reported to Eversource at 800-592-2000. For questions or concerns about the CEA program, or if you would like to opt out of or leave the program, please contact Public Power, LLC at (800) 830-2944, or email them at customercare@ppandu.com. Visit www.masscea.com for additional information about the Community Electricity Aggregation program.